INSTALLMENT 1 




Hope Falls Train Station:


   Thomas Norris is startled awake by the sound of the train's whistle
indicating his arrival in Hope Falls.  He doesn't know why he accepted
a job out of the blue but he needed a change. As he unloads his
baggage from the train car, he looks around for a taxi without much success. 

   He doesn't have much information on his new boss George Falmont.
All he knows is that he is one of the biggest success stories in the
Chicago area and that his own father went to college with him.
As he struggles toward a taxi cab, he reads the letter that Mr.
Falmont had sent him offering a very nice position in his public
relations department.  Hoping to start anew, he slides into the taxi cab
and heads toward his destination.



Richardson Home:


   Lillian Richardson is busy making dinner and waiting for the
arrival of her family.  She is startled out of her concentration by
the door slamming shut.   She turns around to greet the new arrival 
and finds her twenty-two year old daughter, Gillian, looking dejected.
Motioning her daughter toward the ivory kitchen table, she pours Gillian
some Folgers coffee because her daughter needs the coffee more then she does.

   "Let me guess, work was not very productive for you today?" Lillian
asks, already knowing the answer to the question.  She marvels at
how similar Gillian looks to herself at twenty-two.  They both had dark hair
flowing down their backs, nice round faces, and lips plump enough to be sexy but
not so big that people wondered if collagen was responsible for their shape and allure.

   "Yeah, another one of my closings got pushed back yet again. It's
the second closing in the last week and the chances of getting another
prospective deal looks slim.  I just thought that selling houses
wouldn't be so hard right now.  I mean I know the housing market is
slowing down, but I hadn't thought it had hit the Chicago area as
bad." Gillian sighs as she wonders why she is in
real estate.  She knows she wants to do something more exciting
but she knows her degree in philosophy is an obstacle.

   “The current climate is stressful for everyone, Gillian dear.
In fact, down at the paper, articles are being written about a possible
recession hitting us all.  You just have to keep trying and if things
still don't work out, then go back to the drawing board." Lillian pours her
own coffee and breathes in the intoxicating scent."Besides, have you thought about
going back to school?"

   "No!  If I were, I couldn't because it takes money to go to school.
Money is something I'm lacking right now with my job.  I am thinking
of switching gears, perhaps taking that trip to Europe I have always dreamed about."
Gillian shrugs and blurts out the next words, "Of course, I don't have the funds
for that either."

   "Don't make any hasty decisions that you could live to
regret one day." Lillian states, recalling some of her
regrets.

   "Mother, you know I had my ten year plan mapped out at eighteen.
There are just some roadblocks that have come up.  I am aiming
for owning my own business by the time I am twenty eight, perhaps
not in real estate though.  I could even marry a rich man if all else
fails."

   "Well, just be careful, I want all my children to be happy with
their choices and not be filled with regret. I just hope that you do
find what makes you happy." Lillian drinks her coffee
lost in her thoughts of the past.

   "Mother you worry too much, I'm going to be just fine." Gillian
stated as she looked at her watch " Actually, I have to get ready. I
have a date with Dale tonight and you know how much of a time cop he
is if I am more then two minutes late." She said as she headed
upstairs towards her room.

   "Well, if he does come while you are getting ready, I'll distract
him." Lillian jokes as Gillian disappears up the stairs to her room.  She
really likes Dale Atkins but often wonders if the family enjoys Dale
Atkins more then her daughter.



Falmont Enterprises:



   Thomas Norris sits in George Falmont's office overlooking the
tranquil beauty of Hope Falls.  He marvels at how such a nice town
like Hope Falls is a suburb of Chicago.  He notices how formal his
office is although it is filled with pictures of his family.

   "So, Mr. Norris, I see that you come from California. How is your
father, Kenneth? It's been ages since I last saw him." George asks as
he adjusts items on his desk.

   "My father is doing  well, happily running his own bookstore.  He
sends his best regards to you and your family." Thomas nervously states.
He sits erect like a statue in his seat.

   "Well, I was frat buddies with him back at UCLA. I admit I was
surprised when your resume came in and I had wondered if you were
Kenneth's son or not. Now, don't think just because I was frat buddies
with your father, that I just handed you this job. I was quite
impressed with your educational background, and also your stints in
public relations in LA and San Francisco.  I guess my next question is
why the move from California, which is always in need of public
relations,to Illinois?" George asks determined to get a read on this
guy.  He seems both confident and nervous at the same time.

   "I wanted a change pure and simple. I always wanted to come to
Chicago ever since watching the Blue's Brothers as a kid." Thomas
states confidently.

   "I like a man who knows what he wants and makes it happen.
Hopefully, that determination will come into play as a member of our
team.  You will start working on Monday at entry level.  All you
have to do is prove yourself and you'll go far at Falmont." George stands up.
He isn't quite convinced about Thomas' answer but he decides to let it rest for now.

   "Thank you very much again for the job, sir. I will not disappoint."
Thomas replies. He also stands up and shakes George's hand before he
walks toward the door. He's happy that he didn't have to go into
detail about why he decided to change locations. He knew it wasn't a
big deal but he didn't want to divulge any personal details until he got
a better sense of things.



New Beginnings Mortgage and Lending:


   Chase Richardson is relishing the end of the workday as he looks at
the time on his desk.  He enjoys his job but it had been
a long week and with business slowing down, he had found his days
were getting slower and slower.  It was funny, he thought, he had never
believed the old saying that being overworked made the time go by
faster but lately, he had noticed this to be true.  He hopes that the
down turn in the housing and sub prime market isn't going to
hurt his company too much.

   As he sits thinking about the situation, he is handed an envelope with
his direct deposit slip for the last two weeks.   He notices the direct deposit slip
inside but there is a pink slip as well.  A shocked Chase can't believe that his
company is going to make employment cuts.  At the same time, he knows with
the housing markets slowing down, mortgage loans are affected as well.

   A dejected Chase packs up his belongings and departs from
a job he had for over ten years.  Chase is unsure what the future is
going to hold for him and his family.